Through the past brightly
Winter time, it brings me down
Ice cold wind, snow on the ground . . .
Wish that I could hibernate Go to sleep and never wake Until the sun comes shining once again
— Family from “Winter” on their 1968 album “Music From a Doll’s House”
By the time you read this, winter may have finally released its relentless grip on our Winter-water Wonderland. Maybe. Then maybe, just to mess with me, which appears to be the Universe’s prime directive, the sun is shining down on you now, filled with warmth and promise. Maybe. But not today. Today’s Tigers-pirates game has been postponed. Something about attempting to play baseball in 40 degree temperatures and freezing rain, just didn’t jive with the whole “Boys of Summer” concept. On the plus side that means a doubleheader in the near future.
I admit it, when it comes to dealing with winter, I’m a wimp. Even when I lived in Northern California where a butt-chilling winter day might sink into the mid-40s, I used to think “Damn, I wish summer would get here!” Admittedly, it’s more bearable now that I’ve retired and my corporate overlords don’t have me driving
800 miles a week throughout Northern Michigan anymore. These days I can just glare at the snow out of my living room window, knock back another tumbler of Teeling, fire up my “medicine pipe” and slip “Low Spark of High Heel Boys” on my turntable but even liberally medicated, it still sucks.
Although in my opinion it strains credulity, I have several Michigander friends who claim winter to be their favorite time of year. They ice-fish, ride snowmobiles and one even runs sleddogs. For reals, yo. I got to experience subtropical winter weather for the first time on spring break from MSU in 1972. While people back in Michigan were slogging through two feet of snow I was cavorting on the parapets of the old Spanish fort in St. Augustine in Florida sunshine.. “Why can’t I live in a place like this?” I said to myself. “These people live here, they appear to have jobs and houses. Why not me?”
So shortly after marrying Debbie, we moved to Northern California where if you wanted to experience winter, you drove uphill and if you wanted to ditch winter, you drove downhill. One day in March when we were living on the ranch, we drove up to Dodge Ridge in the morning and went snow-skiing. Later, we
drove down to
Lake Don Pedro and went water-skiing. Same day.
Why did we eventually move back to “Frostbite Falls?” It was a trade-off between enduring Michigan’s interminable winters and being able to purchase substantial acreage at a reasonable price.
And if you come ’round when the mill shuts down
You can see what chivalry means
Let’s steal away in the noonday sun
It’s time for a summertime dream — Gordon Lightfoot from “Summertime Dream”
I’m ready.
Incidentally, next month,
June 6th through the 12th,
Fate’s Market in Remus will be celebrating its 100th anniversary. Unreal. I think I’ve been shopping there nearly that long.
During the celebration, they’ll be throwing a Rib Fest with
$10 ribs, in-store beer and wine tasting for a buck, free games, prizes and a raffle. On Saturday, June 11, Adam Fate, son of the legendary store-owner, Buzz Fate, will be in the dunk tank — $1 for 3 balls.. . Fate’s will have sno-cones, popcorn, and cotton candy for $1 and a Hot Dog Meal — a dog, a can pop and a bag of chips all for a $1. All the proceeds from the food go directly to the sports team that will be running the booth.
Fate’s Market has made substantial improvements during the 28 years I’ve lived in Remus. Around 10 years ago, they installed a, wait for it — Walkin Beer Cooler. A year ago, they added a full-service deli and a few months ago, a bakery and coffee shop.
By the way, if you’re wondering, this is NOT a paid ad. I didn’t receive so much as a free frosty Oberon for this announcement. On the contrary, I spend over $15,000 a year there. I just love Fate’s and the Remus community.
It’s probably their brats.
And so it went.